Lisa McElroy

For many older Americans, Medicare has been a life-saver – literally. And, over its 47-year-old history, the government health care initiative has allowed countless more Americans to lived longer and healthier lives. That’s the good news. The not-so-good? Some doctors, pharmacies and other providers try to steal from Medicare by overbilling or submitting fraudulent charges for reimbursement. >> Sign up for the AARP Money newsletter That’s where the Medicare Fraud Strike Force (don’t you just love that name?) comes in. …

You’ve probably read about the problems that many voters – especially older voters – have encountered under voter ID laws, many of which are relatively new. (There was the recent case, for example, of former House Speaker Jim Wright being turned away because, at 90, he didn’t have a valid driver’s license.) Among those who may have to make long trips to government offices to obtain voter ID cards are people without driver’s licenses (which, like Wright, many older Americans may no …

The law, many argue, should strike a balance between allowing autonomy and protecting society. So when the government steps into what seem to be personal matters, people have been known to object. Take the case of James Davis, a widower in Stevenson, Ala., who wanted to honor his late wife’s wishes by burying her at home. The couple had been married for 48 years. As Davis, now 74, saw it, digging a grave in his front yard was the last …